ILOILO City – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reiterated its commitment to protect Western Visayas consumers. Its officials signed a “pledge of commitment” during a recent visit.
FDA is the national health product regulatory agency created by Republic Act (RA) 3720, as amended by Executive Order No. 175 and RA 9711. It regulates medicines, medical devices, food, cosmetics and toys, and household / urban hazardous substances.
Private and other public stakeholders also signed the pledge such as those from the Department of Health, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, and medical practitioners such as pharmacists, among others.
Consumers have the “right to health”, stressed Atty. Emilio Polig Jr., officer-in-charge of FDA’s Field Regulatory Operations Office.
The pledge of commitment was signed at a hotel in Mandurriao district. It read in part: “We, the government agencies and stakeholders, mindful of the constitutionally declared policy of the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them, and the mandate to protect consumers from trade malpractice and from substandard or hazardous products, take this pledge with utmost sincerity to commit ourselves to the call to action.”
FDA is campaigning for the licensing of health establishments and registration of health products.
It is also working to stop the proliferation of adulterated, misbranded, unregistered, and counterfeit health products.
Polig said FDA received reports that some drug stores in Western Visayas were dispensing FDA-unregistered products.
The public can help FDA catch violators by giving it information, said Polig.
“You can go directly sa aming regional office para mabilis ang pag-aksyon natin,” he said.
FDA’s Consumer Protection Advocacy aims to achieve the following in Region 6:
* promote consumer protection through FDA licensing and registration of health products
* ensured that health establishments have licenses to operate from FDA
* prevent the proliferation of adulterated, misbranded, unregistered, and counterfeit health products
* strengthen mechanisms to support FDA in the conduct of market monitoring and surveillance of adulterated, misbranded, unregistered, and counterfeit health products
* coordinate with law enforcers in apprehending offenders/PN
